“I’ll tell you this man, he hit a jump shot, a three, the other night in practice,” Smart said. “He hadn’t been taking them in games, when we scrimmaged. And he finally hit one, so not only as a coaching staff were we all waiting for that to happen in a game more than anything else, but when he hit it in practice, the entire team erupted because of that. So, yes, you can see it. He has to do that in order for the defense to respect what he can do when he puts the ball on the floor.”,hkju76767

“As we’re speaking, I’m getting ready to put together a tape from where we were last year, and how he performed defensively, to what he’s done in training camp,” Smart said. “The guy has shown that he wants to commit to that side of the ball. He came in camp in great shape, did a great job in everything we were doing and wants to take the next step. He’s got to be consistent in his play every night. I said to him that he should be an all-defensive player.[7809-7970

More importantly, Smart believes the players he has under his guidance are tired of losing and ready to put the Kings back on the map, which currently has them in Sacramento.

“Without question,” Smart said. “Based on how they made the decision and effort to come back and train throughout the summer and how early they all came back three weeks before training camp, and then coming to camp in great shape and going out to Colorado Springs and doing the job.
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This could also turn into a blessing in disguise for Nowitzki’s teammates, as playing without him will force them to step up and not get used to relying on or being bailed out by him. The Mavericks aren’t going to have the level of success they want by just riding Nowitzki, he’s going to need help from the likes of Darren Collison, O.J. Mayo, Chris Kaman and the rest of the team. The more confident and capable they are, the better the Mavericks’ chances of contending in the West are.y5w35343434

On the flip side, Martin’s camp couldn’t be happier. He was playing good soldier during preseason, but he had previously made no secret of the fact that he wanted no part of yet another rebuild, and landing in OKC puts him on the best team he has ever been on in his career. The fact that OKC also got promising rookie Jeremy Lamb in the deal is a testament to the brilliance of Thunder GM Sam Presti. The Thunder got a difference maker this year, as well as a potential replacement long-term should the team decide not to invest in Martin at the end of the season.io8768975

Even though there is certainly a need at the position in Dallas, a roster spot is not guaranteed with the Mavericks. Dallas has already brought in Chris Douglas-Roberts and Melvin Ely to deal with the possible exodus of Delonte West. Carlisle was impressed with Curry’s offensive production, but admitted that some work still needs to be done on the defensive end.t3w324

“So a lot of players listen to me when I say something. I always tell a joke about it to the young guys, ‘You know what? It’s going to get better. Let’s just get better.’ If we’re talking and we’re about to go shoot, I’ll just say, ‘Let’s get better,’ and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about… There are 150 kids who get drafted and they’re good. They’re going to be ready to take your spot, so if you can’t improve as a player, you’re going to be lost in the wind.”far3223

Fortunately for Green’s shooting percentage, this Celtics team isn’t reliant on players forcing things on offense. Practically every player on this team outside of Rajon Rondo and Darko Milicic plays two or more positions. That means sometimes the Celtics will have a size advantage, sometimes they’ll have a speed advantage, but they always have to be cognizant of who they’re matched up with.kt7u5665

“I’m speechless,” Green said. “Every day I think about it, where I’ve come from. Last year at this time I was in China, I was working on my deal and getting ready to go to China, and that team ended up cutting me. It’s just crazy man. Every time I think about it, it’s just like, ‘Whoa.’ I did a complete 360 being there. It was like I turned around and I was different. Every time I talk about it, it’s crazy. I just never envisioned myself here, never.”bdsfg434